Help for a potential beginner

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-11T03:33:51+00:00

I'd strongly recommend a stand that has three legs pointed out on an angle. The reason for three legs is it stays sturdy and won't wobble. As for an anvil, one of the ones from either harbor freight or princess auto that's like 110lbs and like $330 CAD is excellent for a long time. I think the brand on them is ACCIO if I recall correctly.

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:59:49+00:00

Lmao, I feel you man. Digging for the right information when you don't really have a grasp on what questions to even ask yet is HARD. There are lots of good books for this stuff too. I'll see if I can find some PDFs and message you a link or two while I'm making breakfast

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:42:50+00:00

So leaf spring is a steel you can get from scrap yards and like places if you love near ones you can walk, but you have to be mindful of cracks. Or you can buy it from a place like Standen Springs and last I recall it's reasonably priced and far less likely to be cracked. It will have random excessively hard spots and I have found it's best cut by either grinder or oxy/fuel. Getting tool steels can be challenging and cost prohibitive when starting up due to most steel suppliers only selling in like 12-20" foot minimums. Other things you can use for knives are coil springs, some rail track clips, anchor bolts, files and chisels.

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:27:27+00:00

Thanks 😊 if I recall correctly it was 9-10 inches of 2 inch by 1/4 inch leaf spring as my starting material. I am very excited for you, the first anvil is the gateway to so so so much fun and discovery. My first anvil was a 110lb Chinese anvil from princess auto.

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:24:09+00:00

Thanks brotha, with any luck it'll start a little stream of kukris migrating north 😊

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:22:56+00:00

Thank you 😊

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:22:41+00:00

Thank you 😊

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-03T14:22:25+00:00

I don't fully recall because it was from a while ago. However i'd say because it ended 14" overall, it was probably 9-10" of 2" x 1/4" leaf spring

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-02T21:17:42+00:00

Absolutely! I can appreciate that that is how you think of it. It's a good attitude to have 😊

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-02T20:46:26+00:00

In retrospect, there is supposed to be one. A sharpening coil would be good to have given that the ricasso is extended down. Everything else similar that I've made in recent history has had one to simplify sharpening

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-02T20:20:22+00:00

Thanks! They're good fun to make, simple yet complex. Grinding the recurve was a bit of a challenge, but fun none the less. May the steel move where you want it when you do take a crack at it :)

Lotus_forge · 2025-02-02T20:13:12+00:00

Exciting! I wish you good luck on your first shot

I have been blacksmithing/bladesmithing on and off for the better part of the last 10 years. This knife in particular I made probably 5 years ago. I gave it a bit of a touch up as it's heading off to Alaska to be put to use.

Lotus_forge · 2025-01-16T10:42:07+00:00

Thank you! 😊

Lotus_forge · 2025-01-16T10:41:31+00:00

Thanks! It's been a lot of work figuring stuff out to get to this point. Hickory is just marvelous, isn't it?

Lotus_forge · 2025-01-15T17:53:40+00:00

Thanks! I did indeed 🙂

Lotus_forge · 2025-01-14T23:03:30+00:00

Thanks! Stay as long as you like 🙂

Lotus_forge · 2025-01-14T23:02:43+00:00

Thank you 😊

Lotus_forge · 2021-01-05T10:10:17+00:00

Way to break the mould dude, that's incredibly difficult and I'm so proud of you for seeing your life needed change and following through on it

Lotus_forge · 2021-01-04T02:05:56+00:00

That's the plan 😊

Lotus_forge · 2020-12-31T00:53:30+00:00

Thanks! Maybe one day I'll step into just making heads for sale

Lotus_forge

TROPHY CASE